Complete Streets

Background

Modesto is one of the 14 major San Joaquin Valley cities, which
together with their local and regional partners, comprise the Smart
Valley Places compact. Smart Valley Places has been awarded a U.S.
HUD/EPA/DOT Sustainable Communities Initiative Regional Planning Grant
to implement smart growth policies and strategies, general plan updates,
and other similar/related projects. Modesto’s grant funding will be
applied to a General Plan amendment, for updates to the land use and
circulation elements. One of the focus areas for the circulation
element amendment is “Complete Streets.”

Description

Complete Streets refers to the concept of providing transportation
opportunities for all users of public rights-of-way, including but not
necessarily limited to: disabled persons, pedestrians, bicyclists,
automobiles, trucks, buses, and emergency vehicles. Regarding both
Complete Streets and the general plan circulation element amendment
referenced above, major transportation corridors are a primary focus of
the project, in terms of facilitating enhanced economic development
potential and improved travel mode choice options and safety.

Resources

On May 24, 2012, the EPA hosted a Complete Streets workshop in Modesto,
as part of their Sustainable Communities Building Blocks Technical
Assistance program. Participants at the workshop learned about Complete
Streets trends, existing policies in place across the Country (at the state,
regional and local levels), implementation best practices, and strategies
for local application of Complete Streets concepts and principles. The links
below will provide access to the materials from the May 24 workshop,
including PowerPoint presentation slides, sample Complete Streets policies /
formats, and a sample municipal Transportation Plan Design Guidelines
document.